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Showbiz Tonight
Dylan McDermott Mystery; Katie Couric and Ricki Lake`s TV War; Showbiz on Location: "The Talk"; Jenny McCarthy`s New Playboy Spread; Beyonce and Kim Kardashian: New BFFs?
Aired June 26, 2012 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Tonight, Dylan McDermott mystery. The star of "American Horror Story" helps police discover his mom`s death four decades ago was really a murder. So why did it take so long to uncover the truth? And is Dylan`s lifelong agony now finally over?
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, talk TV showdown. There is a big battle brewing to take over daytime TV.
Katie Couric, Ricki Lake - they`re both bringing their A-game to these new round of TV wars. And I can promise you neither of them is going down without a fight. But who`s winning this SHOWBIZ showdown?
First, tonight, McDermott mystery. "American Horror Story" star Dylan McDermott`s real life tragedy really puts all the crime and punishment shows he`s made famous into a whole new perspective.
He lost his mom at a young age, her shooting death left unexplained. Well, now, more than 40 years later, his inquiry into his mother`s death has led investigators to re-examine the evidence and determine it was indeed a case of murder.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DYLAN MCDERMOTT, ACTOR: Do you remember anything?
HAMMER (voice-over): He stars on the FX drama, "American Horror Story," but very few people know Dylan McDermott`s childhood was a real life horror story.
Today, a painful incident in the successful actor`s childhood has reached a dramatic resolution. The death of Dylan McDermott`s mother, once labeled an accidental shooting, is now being called a murder.
And the only witness to a crime, a two-bit thug who tormented her and Dylan is now being called the likely killer.
MCDERMOTT: Sometimes things aren`t as they seem.
HAMMER: For Dylan McDermott, who first rocketed to fame in the `90s as a criminal defense attorney in the hit drama, "The Practice," it`s a real life murder mystery and a secret obsession.
ALEXIS TERESZCUK, "RADAR ONLINE": This has been a long crusade for Dylan.
HAMMER: As a child, Dylan lived in this Waterbury, Connecticut tenement with his mother, 20-year-old Diane McDermott.
In February of 1967, a five-year-old Dylan McDermott was kicked out of the apartment by his mother`s boyfriend, a reputed gangster named John Sponza. Young Dylan heard the couple screaming inside the apartment.
TERESZCUK: Then he heard the gunshot. He saw her body taken away on a stretcher.
HAMMER: The body was that of Dylan`s mother. Her boyfriend, Sponza, told police Diane had accidentally shot herself in the back of the head. Despite Sponza`s long rap sheet, police accepted his story.
TERESZCUK: They never questioned that and they closed the case.
HAMMER: But throughout his life, Dylan never accepted the story that his mom accidentally shot herself. And Waterbury police tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that, last year, McDermott approached them and asked that they reopen the case.
MICHAEL GUGLIOTTI, SUPERINTENDENT, WATERBURY POLICE DEPARTMENT: Dylan has vivid memories of that particular day.
HAMMER: Waterbury`s police chief said even though Dylan was a child at the time, he has vivid memories of the terror he and his mother experienced at Sponza`s hands.
GUGLIOTTI: He remembers that John Sponza frequently carried a gun, and not only carried it and not only displayed it, but actually pointed it at Dylan when he was a child.
HAMMER: The police honored Dylan`s request and opened the case, and what they found shocked them.
TERESZCUK: They found a lot of evidence that had been overlooked.
HAMMER: For one, Waterbury police tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the gun found next to McDermott`s body was a 32 caliber pistol, but the fatal bullet was too large to have come from that gun.
Also, McDermott was right-handed, but the gun was found in her left hand, which, by the way, had no gunshot residue.
TERESZCUK: They did a huge investigation. They found a witness who was hidden in the FBI witness protection program.
HAMMER: Now, Waterbury police tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they would have enough evidence to arrest Sponza for murder. But for one thing -
TERESZCUK: The terrible thing is he was murdered himself.
HAMMER: In 1972, five years after McDermott`s killing, Sponza`s body was found in the trunk of this car in a supermarket parking lot.
TERESZCUK: Police believe his death may have been related to his mob ties.
HAMMER: But despite tragically losing his mom at such a young age, Dylan McDermott found a mother figure in an unlikely place.
When he was a teenager, he was adopted by his father`s young wife, Eve Ensler, who, like Dylan, went on to stardom. She`s the author of the "Vagina Monologues."
EVE ENSLER, AUTHOR, "THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES": For me - I always say that Dylan saved my life, like loving Dylan and learning how to love Dylan was the path to my own salvation.
HAMMER: In a 2006 interview with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, mother and son, who by the way are only eight years apart, shared with us their close relationship.
MCDERMOTT: Eve was certainly the first person that really, really saw me, I believe, in my life. And she paid attention to me and really got who I was.
And you know, I came from sort of a troubled background, and she was the first person who really, you know, sat me down and taught me about life.
HAMMER: And now, Dylan McDermott`s life has a small measure of vindication.
TERESZCUK: This must bring a wonderful sense of peace to Dylan to finally have this mystery solved and it really brings a sense of justice to him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And Dylan really has waited his whole life for some justice for his mother. So is this case as unusual as it sounds?
With me now from Miami, Judge Alex Ferrer, host of the syndicated courtroom show, "Judge Alex." It`s always a pleasure to welcome you, judge.
JUDGE ALEX FERRER, HOST, "JUDGE ALEX": Thank you, A.J. It`s always a pleasure to be here.
HAMMER: So let`s talk about this case, because to me, it seems highly unusual. But you`re a former cop. You were a criminal court judge. Have you ever seen anything like this? You have a son seeking justice for a 44- year-old murder, and he gets justice.
FERRER: Rare. It`s very rare. Cases do get opened after a long time, not usually at the request of the murdered woman`s child.
More often, it`s because somebody snitches on the perpetrator many years later after a confession has been obtained in jail.
So it`s unusual that, all of a sudden, they`ll just say, "Oh, we`ll listen to the child and we`ll open up the investigation," and find that, in fact, like in this case, it was bungled.
You had so much evidence to indicate this was not accidental, the gun being in the wrong hand and no gunshot residue. The contact would to the back of the head - I mean, that`s hardly consistent with an accidental firing.
You know, the fact that he lied about their relationship being always calm when anybody they would have talked to would have indicated that he was a very violent-tempered individual.
And I hope that Dylan McDermott gets some peace knowing that at least the truth is finally revealed although it obviously doesn`t get his mother back.
HAMMER: Yes. It does seems strange, you know, that it was so bungled you almost wonder what was really going on there. And even for fans of Dylan McDermott, they might not have been very aware of this part of his life.
He really talks about his childhood tragedy. But after the police finally classified his mom`s death as a murder, he did tweet out a message. I want to read that.
He said, "I would like to thank everybody for their amazing support today. It means so much to me. It`s been a long, hard journey that ended in victory."
And you have dealt with these crimes before and crime victims as well, judge. I imagine as you said, resolving a mystery of a loved one`s death, you know, doesn`t bring back the loved one, but it has to bring some measure of closure if that`s possible to somebody like Dylan.
FERRER: That`s absolutely right. I mean, that`s the best you can hope for. Losing a loved one is hard enough. Losing a loved one under circumstances where you are like he was, a five-year-old child, and you think it`s not the way it was portrayed.
I mean, we heard stories that he was terrorized by the same man. The man would point the gun at him and tell him to get the heck out of there. So he had to suspect his whole life that there was more to his mother`s death.
And carrying that burden had to be very difficult. And I think he said he buried it deep inside and that`s how he was able to go on.
So I think it probably will give him a big sense of closure having brought it up, having investigated it and having it confirmed that, up until now, it was all a lie. He knows what happened now.
HAMMER: Yes. And if not closure, at least some peace that he can carry with him the rest of his life. I do want to move on now to more legal troubles for John Travolta.
John is being sued again, this time by a cruise ship attendant who says Travolta sexually assaulted him. This was a cruise back in 2009 when these allegations happened.
The attendant says that Travolta got naked and forcefully embraced him when the attendant was trying to deliver food to Travolta`s cabin.
Now, at least two others have publicly accused Travolta of similar behavior recently. This allegedly happened three years ago, Judge Alex.
Do you think we read anything at all into the fact this person happens to be coming forward and filing the suit right around the time there are all these new claims against John Travolta?
FERRER: And I believe he`s represented by the same lawyer, Gloria Allred. I mean, you know, there are two ways to look at it. One of them is, one person came out and told the story and it gave confidence to other people to come forward and related their experiences.
The other way to look at it is, somebody is jumping on the bandwagon going, "Hey, wait a minute. This person is suing and they`re demanding $2 million. I can make the same allegations."
Probably won`t have to go to trial because, you know, the desire to settle this and put it away is going to be so huge because he`s not going to want to publicity.
HAMMER: Yes.
FERRER: So you know, you can look at it both ways.
HAMMER: But Travolta`s people have vehemently denied every one of the claims that have come forward. And in a statement, Travolta`s attorney tells us about this particular case, "This is another ludicrous lawsuit with inane claims. We are confident that my client will prevail on the merits and that he will be completely vindicated in court."
So we`ll see if it actually settles. But as I said, Judge Alex, Travolta`s camp had to issue similar statements in recent weeks.
My fear is with each accusation, it could be become harder for people to believe Travolta`s claims that all of these accuse accusers are lying to be true.
FERRER: Yes. And that`s the case with any celebrity. As you know, if a celebrity gets accused of something, especially the more outrageous it is, the better, the public seems to want to believe it.
HAMMER: Yes.
FERRER: They want to latch onto it. And this particular individual - his story has a lot of inconsistencies. He never reported - when he filed a report on the cruise ship, he never reported any sexual contact and things like that which, all of a sudden, are being reported now.
HAMMER: Well, once again, we`ll have to see where this one goes. Judge Alex, thanks as always.
FERRER: Always a pleasure.
HAMMER: Well, we move on now to Hollywood`s new BFFs, Kim Kardashian and Beyonce getting chummy. They are watching their men, Kanye and Jay-Z performing their "Watch the Throne" tour together. But SHOWBIZ dares to ask, is a friendship with Kim K. actually bad for B`s image?
And I`m on location on one of the hottest chat fest, "The Talk."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera): OK. So here I am, backstage at "The Talk," about to go on live television across the country. It`s very exciting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
I`m backstage with the women who just got nominated for a daytime Emmy Award. I will show you why everyone is talking about "The Talk." This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, the tense confrontation on "The View" this morning between Barbara Walters and John Edwards` one-time mistress, Rielle Hunter.
In her new-tell book, Rielle accuses Barbara of yelling at her when Rielle backed out of an interview just after news of the affair broke. Watch what Barbara said to set the record straight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": In 30 years of doing interviews, I have never screamed at anyone.
I make people cry, but I don`t scream and I didn`t - I have no idea what you mean by bullying. So that`s my objection. We`ll give you - you want to answer that?
RIELLE HUNTER, JOHN EDWARDS` FORMER MISTRESS: I do, because I remember that differently. And it was before - you were about to go away on vacation.
And you were - you didn`t want to lose my interview before you went away on vacation. And I had done those ridiculous things in "GQ," the pictures, and you were very upset about that.
WALTERS: I don`t even remember. What I`m telling you is I have done thousands of interviews. I`ve lost many. I have never screamed, and I don`t know how I could have bullied you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I guess they`ll have to agree to disagree.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, talk TV showdown. The battle for talk show domination is tougher than ever. Starting this fall, there will be at least four new talk shows launching, among them, a big time TV veteran, respected TV journalist, Katie Couric, and proven talk show star, Ricki Lake.
Their backgrounds are different, obviously, but their star power is unmistakable. So who will win this real deal SHOWBIZ showdown?
With me in New York, TV and radio host, Michael Billy. From Hollywood tonight, Nikki Boyer, host of "Daytime in No Time" on Yahoo TV.
All right. Let`s talk Katie and Ricki. They both obviously bring a whole lot to the talk show table. Katie, of course, is a long-time respected TV journalist.
But don`t count Ricki out. She already had a successful talk show series. Katie has consistently been a fixture on national TV for more than 20 years now.
And even though, you know, Ricki took a break from television, she did recently return to the spotlight in a very big way, competing on "Dancing with the Stars."
Nikki, I`m going to start with you. Based on their TV credentials, do either of them in your mind have an edge going into this thing?
NIKKI BOYER, HOST, "DAYTIME IN NO TIME": Well, I did a little poll in my office. And we all watched the promo for Katie Couric`s show and we watched the promo for "The Ricki Lake Show."
And I have to tell you that "The Katie Couric Show`s" promo is a little sweet and a little saccharin for me. You can`t quite tell what kind of a show she`s going to have.
So I`m going to have to go Ricki - go Ricki, because I`m feeling like she`s going to come into this with an edge, making the audience just as much a part of the show as she is.
HAMMER: Yes.
BOYER: And I think she`s just - I think she`s going to knock it out of the part. I do. I really do.
HAMMER: I would expect Ricki to go in with a bit more of an edge than Katie for sure, probably going for a bit of a younger audience.
But you mention these ads. Both of the shows are trying to drum up big excitement with their new ads. Let`s watch them. Let`s show you Katie`s new ad first.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
KATIE COURIC, HOST, "THE KATIE COURIC SHOW": I love your glasses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Great song choice, for sure. But now, let`s see what Ricki Lake is putting out there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: This fall, the conversation begins with Ricki. America`s girlfriend is back - "The Ricki Lake Show."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. In a way, you really can see they`re kind of trying to appeal to the same audience there, everyday women who want to live a very good life.
BOYER: Yes.
HAMMER: So Michael, and I know you got your start as a TV guest on the original "Ricki Lake Show." But based on those ads alone, who are you giving the edge to?
MICHAEL BILLY, TV AND RADIO HOST: I`ve got to give it to Ricki. Look at Katie Couric. She`s already done the colonoscopy thing. What else is she going to do?
In that ad she`s kissing dogs. She`s smelling flowers. What is this show all about? With Ricki, she`s dancing in the ads, so it`s fun. It`s sexy. And Ricki`s audience has now grown up with her, so I think the audience is going to follow her.
HAMMER: Yes. I think she will have a lot of people. But then again, Katie has a built-in audience. And who are you, Regis Philbin? What is this show about? What is this about?
Now, Nikki, both these shows are getting a lot of buzz. But once shows get rolling, that`s where the challenge is. What is it going to take for either one of them to keep people coming back for more?
BOYER: I absolutely agree with you. It`s not about whose personality we like the most. It`s not about who has the best credentials.
It`s about who can fill an hour in the most creative way, making you want to come back over and over again every day. Katie has already been cleared for 95 percent of the market, so we already know she has a following. But is she going to be able to keep that following?
HAMMER: Yes.
BOYER: I think Ricki - she`s got a way of engaging the audience. She`s having these U-Stream videos where audience can participate in a production meeting with the executive producer pitching ideas.
And her Facebook page is very interactive. And I just don`t know if Katie is going to be able to string people along as long as Ricki probably will.
HAMMER: Yes. It really will depend on what her team is like. But what a crowded field with Ellen, Dr. Oz, Wendy Williams, and they`re all really doing pretty well in the ratings. So we`ll have to see, you know, if either one of these shows can even make a big dent in what`s already established. Michael Billy, Nikki Boyer, I thank you both.
Got to move on now to Beyonce`s bizarre baby news. Why B`s baby Blue Ivy just became a Croatian citizen. And oops, she did it again. Jenny McCarthy`s surprising new "Playboy" cover.
Plus, SHOWBIZ is on location with the man who runs one of Hollywood`s biggest empires, Tyler Perry. And that tops "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) SHOWBIZ on location with Tyler Perry. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with Perry at the premier of his new film, "Madea`s Witness Protection," where Perry revealed how he feels about Whitney Houston`s family doing a reality show.
TYLER PERRY, ACTOR AND DIRECTOR: My thoughts for them, more than anything, I want all of them to heal. So whatever process, whatever steps that it takes for them to heal to get over this tragedy, I`m all for it.
HAMMER: For the love of Blue. Blue Ivy`s dual citizenship? A brand-new report in "Us Weekly" claims that Jay-Z and Beyonce`s daughter, Blue Ivy, is now an honorary citizen of the Croatian island of Havr.
Tourism in Havr reportedly increased after Beyonce posted a clip of her vacation there last summer.
Jenny`s playful cover. Jenny McCarthy`s headline-making "Playboy" cover revealed. The July-August issue of "Playboy" magazine is out just months before McCarthy`s 40th birthday.
Jenny got her big break after her first "Playboy" cover shoot almost 20 years ago. Wow.
Moving on now to SHOWBIZ on location. I can`t wait to show you this. Tonight, I have an all-access backstage pass to show you the magic of "The Talk."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) OK. So here I am, backstage at "The Talk," about to go on live television across the country. It`s very exciting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s the chat fest that was just nominated for a Daytime Emmy. I`m revealing to you exactly how they get their amazing show on the air every day.
Plus, talk about the wedding that made a big splash. Seriously, a really big splash. Can you imagine? That is one way to cool down from wedding day stress, I guess. It`s the SHOWBIZ viral video that is taking over the Internet. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on location with Michael Jackson`s brother, Marlon Jackson. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just went one-on-one with Marlon. It was at the premiere of Tyler Perry`s "Madea`s Witness Protection" in New York City.
Marlon is one of the stars of the brand-new comedy, but he revealed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what he thinks about the upcoming Whitney Houston tribute, which is going to be happening at the BET Awards this weekend. And he told us a whole lot more.
Let me bring in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle turner. Nischelle has all of the details.
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Well, A.J., you know there is a lot of buzz about BET`s tribute to Whitney this weekend at their annual awards show.
People are wondering how it can top the Grammys tribute that happened just after her death. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just asked Marlon Jackson what he would like to see at the event. Let`s watch what he told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARLON JACKSON, SINGER: The tribute should honor her the way she should be honored because she was just an incredible singer.
She was had voice, I mean, when you listen to her music today, still, there will never be another Whitney Houston just like there will never be another Michael Jackson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. That`s absolutely right. Nischelle, there is no doubt that Whitney and Michael are one of a kind. What else did Marlon say last night?
TURNER: Well, he did say a lot. He said that him and Michael`s other brothers are getting ready to go on tour. And you know, with that whole hologram craze that`s going on, we wanted to know what they thought, if they might incorporate a Michael Jackson hologram into the tour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARLON JACKSON: To each his own. I`m not going to say it`s nice, it`s not nice. But for me, the technology is not where I would like it to be, so you won`t see any hologram from us right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, you know, I know that people find it kind of creepy, the whole hologram thing. But I do think it would actually be pretty cool to see the Jackson Five back together, perhaps Michael in hologram form for at least a couple songs. Do you think that that`s a mistake to not at least consider it, Nischelle?
TURNER: Well, I`m on the fence about this one, A.J., because while I thought the Tupac hologram was really cool, the Elvis hologram really cool, I`m kind of creeped out about a Michael Jackson hologram only because I think it`s still too fresh, that he just died three years ago. So I`m not sure if I`m ready to see that yet.
But that`s just me. Now, this is the first tour that Michael`s brothers have done since 1984, I think. That`s nearly 30 years ago, when they were still basically kids. And listen, you`ve got to hear what Marlon Jackson told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about getting back on stage after so much time.
MARLON JACKSON: It feels great. It really feels great. You know, it`s being on stage with my brothers is - we`re having a great time. We have a lot of fun.
Of course, I`m a lot older, but it`s like riding a bike. You have to tweak some things, but other than that, nothing really has changed.
HAMMER: Well, Nischelle, I`ve got to think that when you`re family, you spent half your life performing together, everything is just going to lock right back into place once they all hit the stage.
And I`ve got to tell you, I was right there in 1984 for the Jackson`s victory tour. I was like three years old at the time, but it was a lot of fun. All right. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner, thanks so much.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT also caught up with Tyler Perry himself at the premiere of his new movie. Now, Tyler`s very close with the Houston family.
He opened up to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT big time about why he thinks Bobbi Kristina is going to be just fine. We have that must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview story coming up.
Plus, the "Playboy" cover getting huge buzz. Mom Jenny McCarthy on the brand-new cover just months before she turns 40. Tonight, why that is causing such a big stir. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, brand-new outrage over Beyonce`s new friendship with Kim Kardashian. Why the fans say Kim K. is bad for Beyonce.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on location with daytime darling, "The Talk."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. So here I am, backstage at "The Talk," about to go on live television across the country. It`s very exciting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I am backstage in the green room. Heck, I`m even on the show. I am on location with an exclusive inside look at the Emmy-nominated chat fest, "The Talk."
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. Tonight, SHOWBIZ on location.
So while I was out in Hollywood for the Daytime Emmy Awards, which, of course, aired exclusively here on HLN, I made an appearance on the fantastic Emmy-nominated show, "The Talk."
I had such an amazing time hanging out with the ladies and being a guest on their show yesterday. But what really goes into being a guest on a talk show?
Right now, I have a rare behind-the-scenes look at how it all comes together at "The Talk" and how I prepared for my big appearance, from the producers, the crew, the audience, and, of course, those lovely cohosts. You get to see it all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera) All right. We`re here at "The Talk." I don`t put my tuxedo on during the day for anybody, you know. They promised me that they were going to be wearing their gowns, which is why I`m wearing my tux.
If they`re not wearing their gowns, I`m going to be really ticked off. I won`t be really ticked off. I think they`re going to have me clean up and serve some food while I`m here.
GLENN MEEHAN, SUPERVISING PRODUCER, "THE TALK": A.J., just so you know - just take a look at the intro. First of all, we`re going to bump into the whole segment. You`re going to be in the B block. You`re bumping into the ladies on the stage.
HAMMER: OK.
MEEHAN: So it works right into your Barbara Walters clip. So here`s the intro. I`d like you to see it so you have everything in there that makes you happy.
HAMMER: I`ll tee up the tape (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
MEEHAN: Yes.
HAMMER: We`ll react to the tape, and they`ll set me up to bring in the next guest.
MEEHAN: Do you want a card?
HAMMER: No, because it sounds like they`re - even though I`m tossing to the clips, they`re going to be moving it along.
MEEHAN: Yes. Yes, exactly, don`t worry about it. I`ll talk to you a bit before they do the pre-shots. So I`m going to (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You`re going to get to the table.
HAMMER: And they are in their gowns? I`m checking again.
MEEHAN: Yes. Yes.
HAMMER: OK. Just so you know, this is - I`m wearing a tux.
MEEHAN: He always wears it, always. Every time I see you. Do you need makeup?
HAMMER: I`ll probably just a touchup before I go on, but I`m ready.
MEEHAN: All right. You`re ready? We`ll let you know.
HAMMER: All right.
MEEHAN: I`ll see you in a bit.
HAMMER: Thank you so much.
HAMMER: Did you see that? It looks like I have been here a long time, like I have been part of the show forever. Everything seems to be coming together. I think this is going to work.
OK, so here I am. I`m backstage at "The Talk," about to go on live television across the country. It`s very exciting. I`m made up. I`m miked up.
I`m wearing my tux because I was promised the ladies of "The Talk" are actually wearing their gowns.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome A.J. Hammer to the stage, everybody. Hello, A.J. Here we go. We`re back. We`re live. Applause!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
SHARON OSBOURNE, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Having a little bit of fun with the ladies at "The View." Anchor and host of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN, A.J. Hammer.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
OSBOURNE: Now, A.J., you have covered every aspect of the show - red carpet, backstage, the awards, everything.
HAMMER: And it was spectacular. And I have to believe when you guys went up on stage -
OSBOURNE: People get us confused with another show all the time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So ladies, let`s introduce ourselves. I`m Barbara Walters.
OSBOURNE: I`m Sherri Shepherd.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m Joy Behar.
HAMMER: Perhaps in the back of your minds, you were wondering, well, this is fun. But I wonder what Barbara Walters thinks of all this.
It has to have been running through your minds. Well, it just so happens I exclusive asked her for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) I must get your very first reaction to your colleagues from "The Talk" getting on stage and introducing themselves.
WALTERS: You know what? I thought they couldn`t have been more generous or adorable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a class act, a class move, absolutely.
HAMMER: And it was all in good fun.
OSBOURNE: And much respect to Barbara Walters.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A lot of time at the award shows, you`ve heard a lot of acceptance speeches. Was there any that stood out for you on the night?
HAMMER: On Saturday night, one in particular, actually, Tony Geary who, of course, plays Luke on "General Hospital" for over 30 years.
And it was so touching to see despite the fact that he`s played this, he is the winningest actor in all of daytime TV. He was so humble to have accepted this award.
And it was great. I spoke with him backstage as well and he was practically crying. It really - it meant to world to him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, A.J. I`ve got to ask you, is it true that a daytime diva slapped you?
HAMMER: You know, when you`re on the red carpet, you have to be careful what you say to people, Sheryl. I don`t know, apparently, I said the wrong thing to really the grand dame of night, Susan Lucci.
And if you actually hit me, it actually would be a badge of honor for me.
SUSAN LUCCI, ACTRESS: Oh, no way I am hitting you.
HAMMER: Give it a whirl. Come on. Let`s go. Here we go.
LUCCI: You!
HAMMER: Pretty good. Do I get the Emmy nomination?
LUCCI: Oh, you get the trophy.
OSBOURNE: A.J., thank you so much for joining us. It`s always a pleasure. You can watch A.J.`s exclusive backstage coverage of the Daytime Emmy Awards tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at 11:00 on HLN. We`ll be right back. Don`t go away.
HAMMER: That was fun. I`ve got to get back over to the HLN headquarters here in Hollywood to do our show. That went pretty well, right? It seemed to have gone pretty well. But I love the ladies of "The Talk." I can`t wait to see them again.
All right. So we`re wrapping it up. I`ve got to get back to the show. I think it went pretty well here, but I wonder what the ladies think of me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was awesome. I mean, I was just - you know, telling somebody else who was here when a guest comes on that fits in with us, it`s so obvious because there`s just a rhythm. No one is stepping on each other`s words or anything like that.
OSBOURNE: He`s such a professional, so easy. It just flowed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Smooth.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Handsome fellow.
OSBOURNE: It does help.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes lord. And he looks good in his tux, and I think we should take him everywhere we go.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: OK, now I`m blushing. I hadn`t seen that before. It was so much fun spending all that time with the ladies of "The Talk." Thank you for all those kind words. It`s nice being the guest for a change, by the way.
I want to thank all of the hosts, of course, and everybody at "The Talk" for just making me and our whole SHOWBIZ TONIGHT crew feel so welcome.
The whole gang over there, such professionals. Really amazing. Make sure you check out "The Talk" every weekday on CBS. And maybe I`ll be back.
Well, 39, fabulous, and completely naked. I`m talking about Jenny McCarthy stripping bare on the cover of "Playboy" just before her big 40th birthday. She looks amazing, of course. But should she flaunt it or cover it all up?
We`ve also got this - it`s a nice day for a wet wedding. Tonight, the SHOWBIZ viral video that truly gives new meaning to taking the plunge.
The wedding party that took an unexpected dip into a lake. You`ve got to see how this dramatic new video plays out. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Here comes the SHOWBIZ buzz list. This is what the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff is buzzing about this week. We`re so pumped up about Maroon 5`s latest album. "Overexposed" is out today. It features the hit single, "Payphone."
Our old friend and former CNN correspondent, the great Kitty Pilgrim, just released a terrific, fast-paced adventure. Her latest novel is "The Stolen Chalice."
All aboard the "Big Easy Express." The new documentary follows the band, Mumford and Sons, from Oakland to New Orleans on the railroad revival tour. It`s out on iTunes today.
We`re loving the Foxl portable Hifi speaker, about the size of your iPhone, with blue tooth. You can pack it for a picnic.
We`re heading to theaters on Friday to catch the all-star cast in "People Like Us."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I swear to you on my life, I am not and will never hit on you, ever.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Wow. Thank you. I`m sure that was meant to reassure me.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I`m sure you get hit on all the time, and I`m one of those guys - I mean, I`m in a relationship, so -
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Oh, that`s so great for you. What`s his name?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Are you looking at this? I know you`re looking at this. A smoking hot Jenny McCarthy covering the July-August issue of "Playboy" magazine.
Hard to believe it`s been two decades since Jenny first posed for "Playboy." But now that she`s a mom, some are questioning, is it still OK to take it all off?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And tonight, Jenny revealed. Jenny McCarthy`s new "Playboy" cover has just been unveiled.
The blond beauty is making her seventh appearance in "Playboy" magazine and it`s just shy of her 40th birthday. And while some are questioning the timing of her new photo spread, we just have to ask, does age even matter?
I want to bring in the lovely, the talented, the ageless entrepreneur and model, Daisy Fuentes joining me here in New York. It`s great to see you, Daisy.
DAISY FUENTES, MODEL AND ENTREPRENEUR: You, too. Thank you.
HAMMER: And I know you`ve worked with jenny at the same time at the MTV. And you also have been offered to pose in "Playboy," something you have yet to do.
But a lot of people are making a big deal out of this because of her age. Could we put the cover up again, Charles, please? Let`s take a look at this. I think, as always, she looks terrific.
FUENTES: Of course, she does.
HAMMER: Now, let me show you her first cover side by side with her current cover. I`m thinking when you still look like this at 39, why cover it up? Flaunt it if you`ve got it, right?
FUENTES: Of course. I don`t think is a question of age although we insist on making everything about age these days. I mean, we`re starting to make celebrities while they`re still in the womb.
We`re covering baby bumps. That`s how obsessed with age we are, so the whole thing is actually ridiculous because she looks great. She`s done it before. She`s not the kind of celebrity where it`s shocking that she`s doing it.
HAMMER: Right.
FUENTES: She`s done it. So I don`t really see what the big issue is. I think the bigger issue is if she looks horrible. We would be here saying, "Shouldn`t somebody have stopped her?" But no - I mean, she looks fantastic.
HAMMER: And you know, and having known Jenny for years, she`s somebody - she just puts it all out there.
FUENTES: She`s not a shy girl.
HAMMER: That includes being as naked as possible.
FUENTES: Not a shy girl.
HAMMER: Let`s talk about somebody else turning heads right now. Kate Middleton - new information about her pricey wardrobe is leaking out. Kate reportedly spending nearly $55,000 on clothes alone this year.
FUENTES: That`s horrible. That`s it?
HAMMER: I`m thinking - there are two things here. You know, number one, she`s living the fairy tale life.
FUENTES: What kind of a princess is that?
HAMMER: But truthfully, first of all, that`s shocking a lot of people. Is that -
FUENTES: Because it`s too little? Or -
HAMMER: No, no. They`re saying that`s a lot of money.
FUENTES: Not for a princess.
HAMMER: But even I bet there are a lot of women in Beverly Hills, very wealthy women - it`s not unusual to spend that kind of money on wardrobe.
FUENTES: Oh, in Beverly Hills, for that one percent, of course it`s not. For the average person, of course, it`s a ton of money. But we`re not taking about an average person. We`re talking about a princess.
HAMMER: Right.
FUENTES: And it`s something we can only dream of, OK? So yes, we want the princess to dress like a princess, to live the life of a princess.
There`s something nice about, you know, a people`s princess like Princess Di. That`s lovely. But you become the people`s princess in another way. For her to pretend that she`s just a commoner would almost be insulting.
HAMMER: Yes. Everybody says, well, in deference to today`s economic times. But I will give her a lot of credit. She does recycle her clothes.
FUENTES: Well, that`s horrible. She should stop doing that.
HAMMER: That begs another question - yes. So what do you think? I mean, is it ridiculous that somebody of her stature is showing up at -
FUENTES: It`s ridiculous. I don`t -
HAMMER: I mean, look, there she is in June and in March, wearing exactly the same thing.
FUENTES: There`s absolutely no need for that.
HAMMER: You`re horrified by the notion -
FUENTES: I`m horrified. Somebody get her a new outfit.
HAMMER: That a princess would do actually do that.
FUENTES: There`s no need for that. She should be the princess that we all dream of becoming, of being, and yes, she should live like a princess. I think that she`s actually quite frugal.
HAMMER: It is strange when you think about it. Well, I do want to ask you about two other ladies who are making big headlines tonight - Beyonce and Kim Kardashian.
They`re both in Birmingham, England, watching their men perform. Of course, I`m talking about the "Watch the Throne" tour featuring B`s husband, Jay-Z and Kim`s new flame, Kanye West.
But it`s the all-new images snapped by amateur photographers that have some Beyonce fans steaming mad. Tonight, we have to ask if these new pictures will actually change once and for all how fans feel about their beloved superstar.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, the odd couple? So are Beyonce and Kim Kardashian really new BFFs. Well, for the first time, the pop superstar and reality TV queen are stepping out in public together.
And of course, the cameras are there to capture the moment. All this went down at the "Watch the Throne" concert in Birmingham, England.
Beyonce and Kim friends? Well, it was bound to happen, right? You have B`s husband, Jay-Z, and Kim`s new flame, Kanye, touring together. But will Beyonce`s new budding friendship actually backfire on her bustling blockbuster career?
Let me bring back in Daisy Fuentes. So you know, we have Beyonce performing again. She was voted world`s most beautiful woman. People are loving her right now.
And in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll, we asked this, if a friendship with Kim was bad for Beyonce`s image. I`ve got to tell you, a lot of people are saying, not good for Beyonce.
Daisy, wow. You worked at MTV. You`re in the fashion business. You know how big a part image plays in an artist`s career. Do you think this is a mistake?
FUENTES: No, I don`t think anything is going to affect Beyonce. I mean, is this even really a question?
HAMMER: Yes.
FUENTES: Clearly, yes.
HAMMER: The Internet is abuzz. The internet is exploding. But you get the idea.
FUENTES: Yes. Here`s the thing -
HAMMER: Kim K has a lot of negative press, while Beyonce I don`t think has any and never has had any.
FUENTES: Yes. But I think Kim Kardashian also has a lot more positive press than bad, because she is part of the number one family that everybody loves to follow right now, whether we like it, agree with it, or not.
And I don`t think - it happens. When two girlfriends and their husbands or boyfriends, when they`re working together and hanging out, the women, the spouses, the girlfriends are - you have to make nice.
HAMMER: Part of the deal.
FUENTES: Whether they`re going to become best friends or not, who knows? Who cares, really? I think this will be good for Kim Kardashian`s image, and I don`t think anything right now can hurt Beyonce`s image unless she loses her voice because she is - she`s a music icon.
And at the end of the day, it`s her performances, it`s her concerts and it`s her music. And nothing is going to touch that.
HAMMER: She could get onstage and sign her way through a concert, and she would still be wildly successful. I was looking at our Facebook page about this odd pairing. And there was one comment that stuck out to me I want to read to you.
Pam S. said, "Instead of saying that Kim makes Beyonce look bad, how about Beyonce making Kim look good?" Something you alluded to, Daisy, "A person can choose their own friends, even celebs. They each have different personalities. Who knows? Beyonce may be a good influence on Kim." I think that is a really true statement.
FUENTES: Of course. Besides, do you think Beyonce is going to hang out with anybody she doesn`t want to be hanging out with?
HAMMER: Oh, no. There`s not -
FUENTES: It`s not going to happen.
HAMMER: There`s not a chance.
FUENTES: I think she`s totally OK with hanging out with Kim or being photographs with her, at least while their men are working. And you know, they both seem like nice girls. I think they`re polite to each other. I don`t think there`s that big of a story there.
HAMMER: We also know though that Kim K, famous for basically turning everything she does publicly into a dollar. You know, she turns everything into a part of her business empire.
Can you see a collaboration on the business end working? Because Beyonce has been quite the successful entrepreneur.
FUENTES: I don`t think so. I mean, if I had to guess, you`ll never know, but neither of them need each other in that way, so I don`t think so.
HAMMER: OK.
FUENTES: Yes.
HAMMER: Well, you know all about that. What is going on with you? I mean, you have your sunglasses, you know, your clothing, your accessories. There`s something on the horizon. Can you tease us a little? I know we can`t really talk about it.
FUENTES: Yes, it`s something completely new, something a lot of fun.
HAMMER: OK.
FUENTES: Something that women can completely change their image and have fun with their look.
HAMMER: OK.
FUENTES: Yes.
HAMMER: Fair, and coming from you, I know it`s going to be wildly successful.
FUENTES: And I guess. This is a really fun addition to my brand, a really fun category.
HAMMER: Thanks a lot. It`s always great to see you, Daisy.
FUENTES: You, too.
HAMMER: It`s a little reunion here. I really enjoyed that.
FUENTES: Of course it is. I love it. We`ve got to do it again.
HAMMER: We will.
FUENTES: Yes.
HAMMER: Daisy Fuentes, thank you so much. We move on now to a must-see SHOWBIZ viral video. I cannot wait. I haven`t been able to wait to show you this.
But now, they`re telling me I can actually show it to you. It`s a nice day for a wet wedding. A Michigan couple takes the plunge literally, just after Eric and Megan Walbur(ph) said their "I do`s," they walked onto a dock for a group photo with their wedding lovely party. Seems like a good idea, right? It seemed like a nice dry idea at the time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my gosh!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They`re all like, nothing is going to fall.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, Catherine(ph), this is going on Facebook.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Can you imagine? And by the way, I couldn`t help but notice that Eric and Megan, the two who got married - they were the only ones who get fully submerged. I wonder if somebody did this to them.
This video has gotten nearly 80,000 views. It does make for an unforgettable wedding memory. I am just happy for them that it, of course, happened their ceremony.
Moving on now to Tyler Perry`s praise for Bobbi Kristina. Tyler just cast Whitney Houston`s 19-year-old daughter in his new TV show. How did she do?
Wait until you hear what Tyler Perry tells us. His big push for Bobbi Kris, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) my daughter. Now what?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Put your hands over your head please.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Like this. This is really sexual. Reminds me back of my stripping days. They used to call me Matilde.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Can I have you step outside, please?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Can I close my legs?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The always funny Aunt Madea. Can you even imagine ending up in the witness protection program with her? Well, that is what happens in "Madea`s Witness Protection." It opens on Friday.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with the film`s creator, the great Tyler Perry. The film premiered just last night.
Right now, Tyler Perry on the future of Whitney Houston`s daughter. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there on the red carpet with Tyler Perry. It was at the premiere of what is sure to be another hit, "Madea`s Witness Protection."
Let me bring in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner to talk about Tyler`s relationship with Whitney Houston`s daughter, Bobbi Kristina. Nischelle?
TURNER: Yes, A.J. At the premiere, we asked Tyler about working with Whitney`s daughter, Bobbi Kristina. Now, on his new - this is on his new television show, "For Better or Worse. And he revealed she was a natural on set.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PERRY: She fulfilled her obligation. She did a fantastic job, and she`s such a great actor. Her future is really bright in the business, so whatever she wants to do, I`m in with her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Coming from Tyler Perry, it seems pretty clear that Bobbi Kris has got what it takes, Nischelle.
TURNER: Absolutely, A.J. You know, Tyler also opened up about his very personal Facebook blog post. Remember his experience where he said he was racially profiled in his past? This was all in the wake of the Trayvon Martin tragedy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PERRY: I don`t know if there`s any solution. I don`t even know if I have the amount of time to get into it. But the point of it wasn`t about my own experience as much as it was about Trayvon Martin and what he was going through.
So I just want to lend my support. So that was me sharing my story so the rest of the world knew if it could happen to me, it could happen to anybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: You know, this was really an important lesson from someone who can open up the conversation and really get an honest dialogue going, A.J., so I was glad to hear that.
HAMMER: Yes. I was, too, because, you know, this is a guy who has so many followers. I think it is terrific that he`s sharing his experience with the rest of us. Thanks, Nischelle.
Tyler Perry`s "Madea`s Witness Protection" is going to open in theaters on Friday.
And as we move on tonight, can women really have it all? Former State Department head, Anne-Marie Slaughter says not even close. She explains her controversial views about the battle for balance in the lives of high- powered women on "DR. DREW" right now.
END
